Shinigami's Duty
by Draco the Spirit Dragon
Summary: A short one shot about Ichigo's last living moments with Rukia.


Shinigami's Duty

Ichigo slashed Zangetsu through Aizen neck. Decapitating the cause of so much misery and ending the psycho once for all. No more would his plots cause innocent people pain, no longer would he cause innocent blood to fall.

Pity about the fact that Aizen's Zanpakutō was now sticking right through him.

"Ahh crap" he said as he dropped to his knees. Seemed Aizen would take one last life after his death, that life being Ichigo's. The Substitute Shinigami kept himself from falling over onto his face and impaling the Zanpakutō hilt deeper into his wounds by keeping his hands in front of him.

Now the Zanpakutō was starting to fade. How fun, his wound was going to start gushing blood like no one business soon!

"God, how ironic that I die just as I win." Said Ichigo to no one in particular. "Isn't the hero supposed to get the girl and live happily ever after?"

As the Zanpakutō fully faded, blood gushed from Ichigo's wound. He screamed in pain as it faded to black.

His world came too again if a little blurry. He was now in his human body. His wound still pained him, but it didn't seem to be gushing like before. He was now laying on his back, in a certain persons lap.

"Ichigo" Rukia simply spoke as he locked his eyes on her, making out her familiar face even in the blurriness.

"Snow bunny… "He managed to mutter, his voice was weak and it hurt as he spoke.

"Don't try to talk my brave one…" She said as she ran her finger down his cheek. "Just listen to my voice and don't fear the darkness." There was sadness in her voice and Ichigo knew that tears would be falling down her face, even if he struggled to see them.

"You're dying and fading from this world Ichigo" she spoke softly. "Your wound is fatal and all the healers are too far away. But don't despair, don't be afraid. You're just going somewhere better. Your life may be ending. But your story only changing chapters."

Ichigo felt a coldness slowly creeping and filling his body as well as his vision growing cloudier. But the coldness reminded him of Rukia and he didn't need sight to feel her closeness.

"You will be confused at first" Rukia spoke softly yet with strength, through her words seemed to get more distant. "Memory a fickle thing when it comes to the change from mortal to immortal. But I promise that I will find you and I will guild you, like the old times when we first met."

Her fingers ran from his check to his ear and she tickled them softly, like she always did when they were alone.

"Because Ichigo I want to love you forever and ever." She spoke with shrill tone. "Even if nii-sama can't stand you now, he is going to have to learn too. It may take a while, but I'm sure he eventually understand that your mine and I'm yours."

Her tone took on a less shrill tone as spoke further.

"I sadly don't think you be coming to my home until nii-sama has fully accepted you." Rukia said with a slight sigh. "So you probably be living with one of the squads. I personally think you are best off with Captain Kyōraku, since he won't let any arguments between me and nii-sama effect his treatment of you…"

Ichigo could only really hear and feel Rukia now, his world was dark and even Rukia's voice sounded like it was far away.

"..And once things calm down we be able to work together a lot, since we be serving Captains that are really good friends and understanding of things like love too." Her last words had become really hard to hear. Ichigo could only really feel now, and the last thing he felt was the warmth of Rukia body as she pulled him close.

Rukia felt Ichigo's spirit finally leave his broken body for the Soul Society. She hadn't had the heart to tell him that his chance of remembering anything was close to zero.

She stood up and dusted herself off, looking at Kon who quietly been watching the whole thing. She knew it was going to be hard for her to rebuild her relationship with a man who couldn't remember her, but her love was strong and wouldn't be broken by this.

"Why did you lie to him nee-san?" Kon quietly asked.

"To help him pass on peacefully and not turn into a Hallow Kon" She replied as she started to open a door to the Kuchiki estate.

She was Rukia the Shinigami after all. It was her sworn duty to help the souls of the dead pass on.


End file.
